Poland’s “pro-life” bill signed into law

Polish President Andrzej Duda:"This is another important, pro-family element of the government's work and it should be appreciated.

A new bill introducing government aid for families of severely disabled babies was signed into Polish law yesterday.

The new law includes a one-off payout for women who give birth to a child who is severely disabled or has an incurable terminal illness.

It also provides birth parents, legal guardians and care givers with help to access palliative or rehabilitative care for children with medically certified illnesses, psychological care, cheaper medication, priority access to medical care and help with specific needs such as housing.

According to Radio Poland, the government hopes that the programme will offer enough support to families raising disabled children to stop abortions in these cases.

Irish health minister says he is "frustrated" at abortion laws

Minister for Health Simon Harris has spoken of how Ireland's abortion laws "sadden and frustrate" him.

His comments were in response to a serious of messages posted on twitter, claiming to be written by an Irish couple travelling to Liverpool to abort their disabled baby. The minister said he would describe the current constitutional situation, where mother and baby have an equal right to life, as "unacceptable, unsatisfactory".

The series of tweets follows a similar campaign by two Irish women in August, who tweeted Taoiseach Enda Kenny about their journey to England to procure an abortion. The Twitter account currently gaining attention does not claim affiliation to any specific pro-choice movement, but uses a pro-abortion "Repeal the 8th" image as its profile picture.

Rebecca Kiessling to speak in Northern Ireland

Rebecca Kiessling, whom the Belfast Telegraph describes as "the world's most high-profile anti-abortion campaigner"; is to speak at a number of events across Northern Ireland.

Ms Kiessling, who shares her powerful testimony of being conceived in rape across the world (including at the recent SPUC National Conference) , will participate in a debate with Northern Ireland Human Rights Chief Commissioner Les Allamby at Queen’s university, and will give presentations in a number of schools. It is also hoped that she will hold a speaking event at Stormont.